Be Doers of the Word September 3

Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world. James 1:27

This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Mark 7:6

Piety

Let us pray: LORD, please let us abide in a tent on your holy mountain.

Give us the virtues to walk without ever blaming our neighbor, doing what is right, speaking truth from the heart. Guard our tongues so that we do not slander or harm another. Never let us defame a friend. Help us to turn away from our wicked, self-serving habits and honor those who worship you. Help us to live up to our entire obligation, with our family, with our friends, with our jobs, and will you. Amen.


Study
Sept. 3, 2006 * 22nd Sunday
By Rev. Joe McCloskey, S.J.

http://www.usccb.org/nab/090306.shtml

The measure of each of us before God is found in our hearts. It is what we intend that God looks at and rewards. God knows us inside and out. He loved us in our mother's womb. We do not have to deserve God's love. We have to accept it. The only limit on God's love in our lives will be how we accept it. God's love is lived in how we treat our neighbors. But our love has to reach beyond color, race, education and all the qualities we cherish. The love of God goes beyond human tradition. We must do more than honor God by our human traditions. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile a person; but the things that come out from within are what defile. We have to honor God with our heats. They have to be close to God. Christ by his human heart has taught us how to love in a God-like way. He says it simply. Love one another as I have loved you. No greater love has anyone than to give their lives for their neighbor.

We must welcome the word that has been planted in our hearts. We must be doers of the word and not hearers only. The commandments have been printed on our hearts. If they did not exist and we wanted to be happy, we would have had to invent the commandments. They are the perfect statement of interpersonal relationships. They challenge us to be pure and undefiled before God. We must keep ourselves unstained by the world.

Moses tells us to observe the commandments carefully. We are not to add to them or subtract from them. This will be the summit of wisdom and we will be a wise and intelligent people. How incredible it is that God would teach us to be his people and in observing his laws we will live out lives with God as close to us as our goodness. Wherever there is love, God is there. God lives in our hearts.

Action

In less than two weeks, the 113th Men’s Cursillo will begin. Check the web site for details on Mananita and Closing. The weekend now has 13 candidates.

Remember, we have another new location for this weekend and the next year. Arlington Cursillo is using St. Joseph Seminary in Washington, DC (next to Providence Hospital). Closing also will be held in the same place.

The facility has no air conditioning so the men will need plenty of water. Remember them in your prayers and palanca.